


#24 The Bond

by gpadow



Category: Gunsmoke, Matt/Kitty
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-20
Updated: 2011-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-23 21:56:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gpadow/pseuds/gpadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a ficlet</p>
            </blockquote>





	#24 The Bond

**Author's Note:**

> This story respectfully features the characters and canon from the television series, Gunsmoke, which aired in 1955. They are not owned by me.

#24 The Bond (ficlet)

 

Nov. 30th, 2010 at 11:16 PM

 

Fists flying. Furniture, too.

Kitty Russell elbowed Billy Dunlap in the gut, and then kicked him hard.  
She tried to sock him in the jaw but was suddenly struck across the back by a chair.

The air left her lungs when she slammed against the bar.

Dead silence.  
Several men stopped mid-punch, and a few whispered, "Miss Kitty..?" while staring at the saloon owner's limp body.

Suddenly a man dropped a chair and ran out through the batwing doors, almost knocking down Louie Pheeters and Doc Adams as they entered The Long Branch.

"Doc!" Sam called out from the floor beside Kitty, while helping the dazed redhead to sit up.

She rubbed her shoulder and murmured, "I'm okay, Sam."

Doc pushed through the crowd and helped Sam lift his boss-lady to a standing position.  
She swayed a little and then took a deep breath and yelled, "Billy Dunlap!"

"Yes, Miss Kitty."  
The young man came forward, hat in hand, with his head bowed.

"It was Pace Mantley what done it. He got scared and run off," Dunlap said with a gesture toward the door.  
He sheepishly added, "I'll pay fer everything we broke, Miss Kitty."

"Damn straight. Now get out, all of you.

Louie, can you stay to give Sam a hand here?"

"Sure thing, Miss Kitty."

Doc steered Kitty to the back of the saloon and a chair by a table that had survived the brawl. Sam brought them a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He didn't speak, but gave Doc a look that seemed to ask, "Is she all right?"

Doc nodded at the kind bartender and simply said, "Thank you, Sam.

Here Kitty, take some of this."

Kitty took the glass Doc handed her and spat out the words, "Perfect ending to a perfect weekend, Curly."

"This would happen when Matt's out of town," Doc remarked, and immediately regretted his words.  
The redhead shot him a look.

I better warn that Marshal of hers, Doc thought.  
Missing the barn dance was one thing, now this...

Their old friend always understood the special bond Matt and Kitty shared, but also witnessed a few blow ups between the two, and didn't want to see either of them hurt.

###

"How could she do something like that, Doc?" Matt Dillon asked over stale black coffee. He rose from the desk in his office and, with hands jammed in his pockets, began pacing.

"Kitty knows better than to try to stop a bar fight when it's gone that far.  
Besides, she's not a kid anymore."

Doc was sipping coffee from his chair in the center of the room. He brought his mug back down on the table and shook his head.  
The physician swiped a hand over his mustache and declared, "Well, that is without a doubt the dumbest thing you have ever said. By thunder, I hope you're not going to say that to Kitty!"

"I can't be worrying about her every time I leave Dodge, Doc. She needs to take cover and let Sam or Festus or me handle this kind of thing."

"Oh, great.  
You ought to know by now that our redhead has a dynamite temper, Matt.  
Don't go lighting her fuse."  
"What?"  
"Well, for one thing, don't say anything about you handling any trouble because she'll remind you for sure that you weren't here.

You two have a bond that will always bring you back to each other, but you can't take that for granted, Matt."

###

US Marshal Matt Dillon saw his lady as soon as he entered the Long Branch. She was behind the bar polishing glasses. He stood still for a moment, and as if feeling his presence, Kitty looked up at him with cool blue eyes that still set him on fire.

The redhead turned her back as he approached the bar.

Matt leaned his elbows on the bar and clasped his hands together.

He licked his lips and asked, "Angry?"

"No. Yes."  
Without another word, Kitty put down the cloth and walked from behind the bar. Matt watched her as she marched across the saloon and climbed the stairs.

"Would you like a drink, Marshal?" Sam asked.

"Maybe later, Sam."

###

Kitty knew who was knocking on her door, but called out, "Who is it?"

No reply.

Suddenly a heavy breathing Matt Dillon breached the threshold of her room and pinned her with a stern expression on his face.

"Sometimes you're more sass than sense," he said through clenched teeth.

"You're wound tight tonight," Kitty said with deliberate coolness.

Kitty held out the hairbrush and Matt instinctively took it and straddled the vanity bench so their bodies touched.

He began brushing her hair and addressed her reflection in the mirror.  
In a soft and tender voice Matt said, "I'm real sorry about the dance, Kitty. I know it meant a lot to you. Guess I've disappointed you again."

Kitty leaned into the big man and sighed, "I'm glad you're home, Cowboy. I missed you."

The couple strolled hand in hand toward the bed, silently undressed, and moved under the covers. Their entangled bodies found a familiar and comforting position as their lips came together in kisses and giggles.

As Matt eased inside her snug, sultry tenderness, he asked, "Still mad at me?"

"Yes.

But I'll get over it."

 

The End


End file.
